Truesize.net – Explore the real size of countries without Mercator distortion (opens in new tab)

Hi HN, I recently launched TrueSize.net, a tool that lets you explore the true size of countries and regions on an interactive map, without the distortions of traditional Mercator projections.

What sets it apart: - Extensive coverage: All modern countries, over 3,700 local states and regions (like U.S. states), and more than 9,000 historical countries and regions from past maps. - Accurate small countries: Vatican City, Monaco, and other tiny nations are represented closely to their real-world shapes, unlike simplified versions in most other tools. - Holonomy-aware movement: When you move countries across the globe, their rotation adjusts realistically to the sphere. It’s off by default, but turning it on gives a fully educational experience. - Custom GeoJSON/TopoJSON support: Upload your own data, move shapes with true-size calculations applied, and export results. I’ve used this for map processing in PaintMyMap.com, like keeping Alaska’s true proportions when repositioned.

I built this because I love geography and wanted a tool that’s both precise and interactive, useful for education, map enthusiasts, or just playing with global scales.

Curious to hear what HN thinks — whether from a technical, educational, or UX perspective!

This is fascinating! While exploring country sizes, I built a random country picker (https://countryrandom.com/) that shows population, GDP, and other stats. It's interesting to see how size doesn't always correlate with population or economic output. The random discovery aspect makes learning more fun.